This is my list. Some of them I already know, some of them I have only just met and some of them I hope to.
I do not mean to exclude for I know there are many many many more out there.
But somehow these caught my eye.
THE FOODIES, BUT GOODIES
It was only a matter of time that those who had a passion for food would stake their claim in the local blogosphere. And Brunei is much better for it. Here are some tasty portions:
www.whatiate2day.blogspot.com is co-produced by Bulimic, BlackDiamonds & WhiteChoc and not only do they do their own review of dishes and restaurants, they also invite others to send in food reviews.
Eleanor Yeeman is the lovely lady behind the blog www.whatyeemandid.blogspot.com and posts with a mother's touch about cooking and recipes.
www.f00d-for-thought.blogspot.com is authored by Ihsan, a Brunei student in the UK. Her blog has shown that students can be creative with their cooking and don't need to starve any more (she has the recipes to prove it!).
From left Bulimic with camera, BlackDiamonds in a tiara and Eleanor in a chef's apron, surrounded by doughnuts, curries and foodbooks as photographed by FidBit at the Bijou Bungalow.
Ihsan and her cutlery. Photograph sent in by Ihsan.
RANOADIDAS AS PETER PARKER
Rano Iskandar is the brains behind Brunei's super famous 'alternative online newspaper' www.ranoadidas.com. A shy figure oft-seen hiding behind the camera, an intrepid social reporter, he is everywhere because everyone, and their grandmother, knows him.
Rano as Peter Parker as Spiderman as photographed by Ahim Rani at the Bijou Bungalow.
THE PARKING ATTENDANTS
The three guys and a girl behind the Brunei-based blog www.youparkingidiot.blogspot.com gained notoriety for posting pictures and commentary of our unruly parkers. The blog is definitely cheeky, but ultimately well-intentioned.
The YPIs as photographed by Sexy Meter Maid. Photograph sent in by the YPIs.
SENOR PABLO
For someone who started blogging in the last few months of 2006, Pablo at www.world-of-pablo.blogspot.com has emerged as a colourful online persona. A husband and father of 4 boys, his blog is intimately peppered with family tales and lifestyle tips.
Senor Pablo (Ole!) with his drum and Fidel Ramos cigar as photographed by Fidbit at the Bijou Bungalow.
THELMA & LOUISE
Don't be fooled by the 'tudung-ed' and petite size of Izati and Ghasidah. They are the new age Brunei girls who are smart, spunky, feminist and simply lovely. You can find Izati at www.beautifulmeinanutshell.blogspot.com and Ghasidah at www.ghasidahthecow.blogspot.com.
Izati and Ghasidah being Thelma & Lousie before driving off a cliff in a car as photographed, and photoshopped, by Fidbit at the Bijou Bungalow.
THE SHARP SHOOTERS
Brunei has its photobloggers, those who use the net to publish photographs which offers a glimpse into Brunei and the world they live in or their personal lives. These are some of my favourite Sharp Shooters:
Kantalensa at www.kantalensa.blogspot.com works in Brunei's fourth district of Kuala Belait. His quiet way with pictures reflects a heart of gold and a gentle soul.
PauseByBald at www.pausebybald.blogspot.com is a relatively newcomer on the photoblogging scene, but by the look of the pictures he has produced for me, he is one to watch.
UcingItam at www.ucingitam.blogdrive.com is a young ambitious Brunei guy who works in the private sector and loves taking pictures.
Brunei Forever at www.bruneiforever.blogspot.com takes beautiful pictures of waterfalls. I know because Bobby bought one of them.
Ahim Rani is no stranger to local photography. He is perhaps the most senior of the Sharp Shooters and whilst he may not be a photoblogger in the strictest sense, he takes the loveliest pictures of Brunei and its all out there in the world wide web at his pbase account.
I wished G-'FerRo, Zadm and Mizi could have made it to the shoot and complete my Sharp Shooters but unfortunately they could not make it.
From left, UcingItam, PauseByBald (top), BruneiForever (bottom), Ahim Rani, Kantalensa as photographed by FidBit at the Bijou Bungalow. Model - Mellie.
THE HEAD BOY (OR MC HAMMER, IF I COULD SWING IT)
Mr BR at www.bruneiresources.blogspot.com is the most hardworking and resourceful of all the Brunei bloggers. He has single-handedly made blogging "too legit, too legit to quit" in Brunei for displaying the utmost in decorum and information about the place we call home. If he had made it to the photoshoot, I would have begged for an MC Hammer, but a picture of The Head Boy On The Ski Slopes is 'Vanity Fair' enough for me.
Mr Brunei Resources with lots of snow. Photograph sent in by Mr BR.
THE FABULOUS MAMAS
Mothers who blog are multitaskers extraordinaire because they juggle family, home, work, friends and life with well manicured hands and pouty lips that could love, work and reprimand all at once.
Mamalobengs at www.mamalobengs.wordpress.com is a loving wife and a mother to a precocious little girl. Mamalobengs works full time in the legal profession, although she doesn't have to work of course, because what she also has going for her are a set of pipes that could make Alicia Keys go hmmmm.
Vixennova at www.vixennova.blogspot.com is a wife to her husband and a mother of a little boy. Stylo-mylo to the max but is not afraid to get drool on her powersuit, she works in the techworld of men.
Both are solid-molid proof that just because you're a mom doesn't mean you can't be smoooookin'!
From left, Mamalobengs and Vixennova surrounded by all things motherly and girlie as photographed by FidBit at the Bijou Bungalow.
THE BIG FRIENDLY GIANT
For the affable vibe of his blog www.anakbrunei.org, and the charitable work he has done for SMARTER, my friend Reeda reminds me of Roald Dahl's Big Friendly Giant.
Reeda as BFG and his bottle of dreams and Hazel as Sophie as photographed by PauseByBald at the Bijou Bungalow.
BONNIE & CLYDE
The irrepressible young ones, Lim Sheng Ming and Maurina are no newbies to the local blogging scene. In fact us old folks have looked up to them as the more "senior bloggers" in Brunei. They are just too damn cute to be put in jail. The things we can learn from the young.
Spunky youngsters LSM and Maurina as Bonnie & Clyde on the run as photographed by PauseByBald at the Bijou Bungalow.
THE HOME AND AWAYS
Even when we're abroad, permanently or temporarily living there because of life, work or school, we are Bruneians at heart. We write about Brunei, our posts are peppered with Bruneian lingo, and we miss home too, posts Pynk in Melbourne, Katie-Ella, Widarchitect and Snixxx in London.
From top, Pynk and friend (photograph sent in by Pynk), Katie-Ella's Banner ('stolen' from her site), Widarchitect and Snixxx (and Kyle) (photograph 'lifted off' Snixxx's).
THE YOGA BUNNY
What woman, Bruneian or otherwise, would not want to be Danura? She is a fabulous mama to a pair of children, a dutiful wife, a businesswoman and a yoga instructor (she can bend in more ways than you can possibly fathom). The first, in my opinion, to bring yoga "mainstream" in Brunei, she has made her practice friendly and welcoming for yoga dunces like me.
Danura as one hot Yoga Bunny as photographed by FidBit at the Bijou Bungalow.
BOYS WILL BE BOYS
All male testosterone, posts about games, cars, music and chicks, 25 year old Yus from www.rebelandaliberator.blogspot.com and 16 year old Affy from www.therejects.org are my pick of boys online that are modern males who just wanna have fun.
A Reject, a Rebel and a Swimming Pool as photographed by FidBit Ahim Rani at the Bijou Bungalow.
THE JAPAN-O-PHILES
Monkeyfruit and her gang are cool personified. She is one of my favourite homegrown writers. She may not have been on the 'mainstream' radar but you think you're as famous as her? Think again.
In person she is not at all scary, and neither are her friends, and in fact they're all rather sweet. I suspect that together they are a force to be reckoned with.
From left, Naz as BirdMan, Monkeyfruit as Geisha PontiBaby, Syam as Geeky Vampire Schoolboy, Mars as Wednesday-San, and Iz as Ninja Boy, posing Japanese horror as photographed by Fidbit in the spooky garden of the Bijou Bungalow.
THE INTELLECTUAL DEBUTANTES
What can I say about My3rdEye and Zippy that they can't say for themselves? Opinionated and frighteningly clever with words, I believe we may have Booker Prize winners from our hometown soon enough.
My3rdEye (left) and Zippy made up like never before looking extremely comfortable as Intellectual Debutantes lounging by the pool, as photographed by Fidbit at the Bijou Bungalow.
THE DIRECTOR
BorgKingKong came into my radar for his admirable project on Pusat Ehsan. A husband and a loving father, his forte is more video production and editing.
BorgKingKong's card "borrowed" from his blog.
THE CARTOONIST
And then, there are some of us who are talented enough to sketch about a life in Brunei. Cuboi is already a famous cartoonist at home, publishing his cartoons in our daily newspapers. In 2006, he came online at www.cuboiartblogspot.com, and shared his cartoons with the rest of the world. Malaysians have their Lat, Americans have their Peanuts and we have our Cuboi.
A cartoon of himself by Cuboi.
*************************
THE END (see you next year!)
Produced By: EmmaGoodEgg
Make-up & Stylist: Mellie
Art Direction By: Stella
Photographers: Fidbit, PauseByBald, Ahim Rani
Apologies To: Vanity Fair
Recent Comments